


Between Two Worlds

by pinefree



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-19
Updated: 2015-05-28
Packaged: 2018-03-31 06:58:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3968737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinefree/pseuds/pinefree
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>BillDip AU. Dipper is an investigative journalist looking to uncover the truth about Mr. Cipher's mysterious, overnight financial success.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Dipper was face to face with a single white eye encased in a yellow brick triangle. The aura emitting from the creature was absolutely powerful, and Dipper found his feet frozen in place. Completely intimidated but still endlessly curious, he couldn’t help but eye the beast carefully. The blue flames sprung from the demon’s hand, flickering with bad intentions, and Dipper found his hand reaching to grasp it…_

Jerking awake, Dipper felt sweat beading on his forehead. His heart was racing, his mind buzzing about the dream he had just had. For the third time this month. Yellow triangles? Blue flames? Maybe he had been working too hard. His gaze wandered around the disheveled apartment he had occupied for the past few months. The window reflected a typical gray and drizzly day, the new norm for Dipper since moving to Portland.

Sighing, he pulled on what seemed like a clean-enough shirt and jeans. Stumbling over to the kitchen area of his studio, he groggily brewed what was his only savior lately: coffee. A stack of newspapers had piled up on his table, which he sat down at to face the day. Letting his chin rest in the palm of his hand, he became aware of the stubble forming, and he felt his ashy brown hair sticking out every direction. If he was going to break in as a serious investigative journalist, he would need to present himself more professionally.

Also, finding a compelling story would probably help. 

He turned his attention back to the newspapers, flipping through the headlines with moderate interest. Same old, same old. Economy crashing, politicians lying… Dipper raised his cup to sip at his morning pleasure. Upon seeing the next headline though, he burned his tongue and a few drops spilled onto the page.

“William ‘Dollar Bill’ Cipher: Financial Tycoon Takes the City by Storm.” 

Pictured underneath was a lean man, probably in his late twenties. His blonde hair was pushed to one side, and he seemed to be wearing a black and yellow suit accessorized with a top hat, cane, bow tie, and a dangerous smile. He seemed completely overdressed, and yet superbly confident. There was something about those eyes though…

Something stirred inside Dipper. He dismissed the rising feeling in his chest though. How could this complete stranger have anything to do with that dream? The monster had one eye. This man had two. There was something immensely familiar about them though… as though they had seen all, knowing more than any person possibly could. A depth existed in them. 

Then again, it was just a grainy newspaper photograph. 

Still, Dipper decided it would be unwise to ignore the emotional reaction he had just experienced. Maybe this guy was worth checking out. Flipping through the story inside, he learned that William Cipher:

1\. Had only been in Portland, and had his business, for a few months.  
2\. His game seemed to be financial investments.   
3\. Already accumulated over three billion dollars in wealth.

Dipper may not have been a business guy, but he couldn’t possibly reason that any normal business could bring in so much revenue so quickly. His brow furrowed in thought, and he had missed it. Flexing his brain muscle was one of his favorite workouts (the only kind, actually, judging by his thin and muscle-lacking figure). Drawing up a quick list of interview and research questions, he weighted the possibility of actually getting a chance to talk with the bigwig. 

“Exciting investigative journalism career: Here I come.”


	2. Chapter 2

Dipper nervously chewed at one of his pencils while the elevator seemed to carry him higher and higher. The giant glass windows looked out over another cloudy Portland day, but Dipper had other things on his mind at the moment. His hand curled reassuringly over his notepad, extra pencils, and tape recorder in his pocket. It seemed that making the appointment to meet Mr. Cipher was going to be the easy part.

Getting him to talk? An entirely different story. 

His fingers also brushed over the charm he always kept with him. It was a smooth, flat stone, circled with white lines. He had come across it in a dusty antiques shop back home, and learned from the owner that it was meant to serve as a protective charm. Meant to ward off evil spirits, Dipper decided it couldn’t hurt to keep it with him.

For some reason, turning the stone over in his palm seemed to soothe him. Dipper took a deep breath, and the elevator doors opened to a beautiful office, pristinely clean and buzzing with activity. Walking over to the main desk, he harrumphed nervously into his fist.

The secretary glanced up at him from behind thick glasses. Her face reflected a steady calmness, but the bags beneath her eyes were visible. Her hair had been tied back hastily into a bun, skin looking dull and lifeless. Not that Dipper was in a position to comment on someone else’s work-haggard appearance. 

“I’m here to see William Cipher. Please.” Dipper was endlessly nervous but gave his most confident smile. The woman cocked an eyebrow. 

“Name?” Her voice was tired, but reflected the quiet sort of panic in its inflection.

“Ahhhhh, you must be Dipper Pines!” A booming voice startled both of them, and Dipper jerked his head around to lay eyes on his prize. 

A shining grin met him, attached to what looked like the most confident man in the world. He was wearing a less formal version of his newspaper photo ensemble. He had rolled his black shirt up to the elbows, and on top was his trademark yellow vest. He made a beeline for Dipper, approaching him more quickly than he could have anticipated. 

“No need to be nervous, kid! I’ve been looking forward to meeting you!” His black gloved hand was immediately outstretched to Dipper, who made a reach for it. He could never have expected such… enthusiasm. Maybe this would actually go well. Cipher’s grip was powerful, and it felt like electricity through Dipper’s spine. 

“Thank you so much for meeting with me on such short notice, Mr. Cipher-“ 

“No problem, kid! Gets boring around here with just her to talk to.” He winked at his secretary, who had already returned to her work. She was able to muster an eye roll. 

After finally releasing Dipper from his grip, he slung an arm around his shoulders. It was forward, to be sure, and Dipper wasn’t sure how to read the attention. He supposed you couldn’t find your way to overnight fortune without being a little flamboyant. 

“Let’s head back to my office, short stuff. I’m sure you have a lot of questions.” His voice took on a very even, knowing quality. Not as loud, but certainly equal in intensity. Dipper was still in disbelief at his luck, of not only being able to see the man of his story but be welcomed so openly. Surely it was too good to be true. There had to be a catch. 

They walked together down a long hallway, arriving at the most magnificent, picturesque office Dipper had ever seen. Glass windows and an enormous, shining desk anchored the room, with what he could have mistaken for a throne in the center. The billionaire gestured for his guest to take a seat on the other side of the desk, in the more modest chair. 

“Impressed?” Cipher grinned from across the table, his chin resting in his hand. 

“Very.” Dipper smiled back, his mind going blank. He snapped back together though, and pulled out his tools of the trade. “Which is why I would appreciate if you would answer my questions, Mr. Cipher.” He put on his most charming, smooth voice in an attempt to match the other man’s, but it was in vain. 

“Ohhh, no need to go formal here. The name is Bill.” The grin seemed to fade into a very confident smile, and his eyes seem to once over Dipper. He seemed to let his gaze linger over the spot in Dipper’s pocket that held the stone, but he supposed it could have been coincidence.

“Do you mind if I record, Bill?” Dipper asked absentmindedly while situating himself. He was fiddling with his recorder when…

A black gloved hand came to cover Dipper’s own. He was alarmed at the contact, and glanced up to meet Bill’s gaze. The touch between them was not direct due to the fabric of the glove, yet he could feel chills rising along his arm. 

“Actually, kid, I’d rather you not.” He said it so calmly, so innocently, that Dipper decided not to fight him further. Or was it maybe because of the tender way he had stopped Dipper? It didn’t matter.

“Totally fine. Just the two of us talking, then.” Dipper gave his kindest smile, and Bill nodded.

“Shoot, kid.”


End file.
